guide to beef cuts

beef shoulder clod

The shoulder clod is a large cut from the Chuck comprising several muscles. Because the Chuck does a lot of work during the steer’s lifetime, it is tough (with some exceptions, see below) with a lot of connective tissue, but offers excellent flavor. This makes it a prime candidate for grinding into ground beef. It can also be cut into stew meat & braised, or broken down to remove choice muscles.

Two muscles within the interior of the shoulder clod are of special note: the flat iron and the teres major. These muscles are surprisingly tender for being in the Chuck. The flat iron can be butterflied for a roast or cut into steaks. The teres major is a very tender, small muscle that’s about the size of a pork tenderloin and can be cooked similarly to a pork tenderloin or sliced into medallions.